Communities living near wildlife areas are expected to play a greater role in conservation and receive increased benefits under a newly approved National Wildlife Policy, the government has said.
Announcing the decision during a post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Soda Zhemu said the revised policy reflects changes in the wildlife sector since the adoption of the previous framework in 1992.
“Government notes that the wildlife sector has been remarkably transformed since the enactment of the current Policy in 1992, and therefore the need for sustainable and innovative wildlife management and policy initiatives,” he said.
Zhemu said the new policy aligns Zimbabwe’s wildlife management approach with national, regional and international best practice, while placing communities at the centre of conservation efforts.
He said wildlife is recognised as a public resource and the policy seeks to promote equitable sharing of benefits, particularly for rural communities that coexist with animals.
“The new Wildlife Policy aims to strengthen the contribution of the wildlife sector to national development through sustainable use of wildlife resources; and to enhance active community participation and thereby socio-economic benefits for present and future generations,” he said.
The policy is also intended to support climate resilience and promote what the government describes as a wildlife-anchored economy, in line with the National Development Strategy 2 and constitutional provisions.
Among its provisions are reforms to community-based natural resource management systems, including changes to the CAMPFIRE programme, which enables rural districts to generate revenue from wildlife.
“The Policy provides for various wildlife management mechanisms including new regulations for CAMPFIRE, and will address human-wildlife conflict and implement the approved Human-Wildlife Conflict Relief Fund for the benefit of victims,” Zhemu said.
The framework is structured around ten pillars, including legal guardianship of wildlife, conservation within and outside protected areas, sustainable wildlife economy development, community-based management, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and wildlife education and research.
Government also plans to establish and maintain wildlife corridors to preserve migration routes and reduce animal encroachment into villages.
“In addition, wildlife corridors will be established and maintained; and fisheries conservation will be promoted as part of water resources development, with penalties for violations which hamper resource sustainability,” he said.
Officials say the policy aims to balance conservation objectives with economic development, while strengthening community participation in managing Zimbabwe’s wildlife resources.